Record-breaking Field Set To Compete In Season Opener
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2015) – A full field of 250 boats – the largest Rayovac FLW Series field of all-time – will open the 2015 season at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida, as the Rayovac FLW Series season kicks off Jan. 22-24 in a tournament presented by Power-Pole, the first stop in the Southeast Division.
“Okeechobee is fishing really well right now,” said Walmart FLW Tour pro Mike Surman of Boca Raton, Florida, who has 10 top-10 finishes on Lake Okeechobee in FLW competition. “I think the main waves of fish are coming in to spawn right now as we speak.
“I was out fishing with some friends this past weekend. I got a bite and set the hook and handed the rod to my friend’s 11-year-old son,” Surman continued. “I knew it was a big one, but I didn’t realize how big it was. It ended up being an 11-pound, 8-ounce giant – the kid caught a fish bigger than his age. Not many people can say that. The big fish are definitely biting right now.”
Surman said that the south end of Okeechobee is fishing better right now than anywhere else on the lake, but that the popular community holes won’t play as big of a role.
“The community holes will still be in play, but they won’t be as dominating as they have been,” Surman said. “The good thing about Okeechobee is that you can essentially win the tournament anywhere around the whole lake.”
Surman said that the Gamble Why Not and Big EZ will be very popular baits amongst tournament anglers, but said that vibrating baits such as a Z-Man ChatterBait or a Yo-Zuri Rattl’n Vibe would definitely produce as well.
“It may take even more, but I believe that it will take in the neighborhood of 65 pounds to win this tournament,” Surman went on to say. “The winner is going to need to weigh in one really big stringer, and then back it up with two solid 20-pound limits.”
Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort located on 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston, Florida, at 7 a.m. each day. Weigh-in will be held at the marina on Thursday and Friday beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at Walmart located at 1005 W. Sugarland Highway in Clewiston, Fla., beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Pros will fish for a top award of $40,000 plus a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
The Rayovac FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Rayovac FLW Series Championship. The 2015 Rayovac FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 29-31 on the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Rayovac FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
